This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Media Gallery

Drugs & Diseases > Clinical Procedures

Phototherapy for
Jaundice
Updated: Dec 06, 2015 | Author: Taylor L Sawyer, DO,
Factors that affect phototherapy: The 3 factors that
MEd, FAAP, FACOP; Chief Editor: Ted Rosenkrantz, MD
affect the dose of phototherapy include the
more...
irradiance of light used, the distance from the light
source, and the amount of skin exposed. Standard
phototherapy is provided at an irradiance of 8-10
microwatts per square centimeter per nanometer
SECTIONS
(mW/cm2 per nm). Intensive phototherapy is
provided at an irradiance of 30 mW/cm2 per nm or
more (430–490 nm). For intensive phototherapy,
Background
an auxiliary light source should be placed under
Jaundice refers to the yellow appearance of the
the infant. The auxiliary light source could include
skin that occurs with the deposition of bilirubin
a fiber-optic pad, a light-emitting diode (LED)
in the dermal and subcutaneous tissue.
mattress, or a bank of special
of 9 blue fluorescent
Normally in the body,9bilirubin is processed
tubes. Term and near-term infants should receive
through the liver, where it is conjugated to
phototherapy in a bassinet and the light source
glucuronic acid by the enzyme uridine
should be brought as close as possible to the